It’s quite the juggling act

I knew this would happen. I knew when I signed up to write for #stuckinplastic that this day would come. I remember telling Shelly it would happen.

I knew ‘real’ life would get in the way of me writing. I knew the day I struggled to find inspiration to write would come.

It’s funny however. As I sit here tussling with ideas of what I could write, there’s actually a fair chunk of plastic activities and events, that are either currently monopolising my time, or looming on the plastic horizon, demanding attention and planning.

In just over a week, I’ll be co-hosting the Melbourne #brickstameet with @cheepjokes, @llworld and @theshortnews; a journey through the CBD of Melbourne, included a tour of Federation Square, Melbourne’s iconic pedestrian laneway covered in graffiti and art installations Hosier Lane, and the quintessential Melbourne lanes that snake their way though the shopping precinct to the main pedestrian thoroughfare and heart of the city, Bourke Street Mall.

Round and round, up and down
Through the streets of your town
Everyday I make my way
Through the streets of your town
The Go-Betweens – Streets Of Your Town

The Melbourne #brickstameet is a scaled-down-SeattleToyPhotoSafari, a mini-HamburgToyPhotoSafari if you will. A day catching up with old friends and making new ones, exploring new places, sharing and learning ideas and techniques, and of course, it’s a day to bolster ties and cement relationships within the Melbourne Lego photography community.

Not too long ago, I would’ve made excuses as to why I wouldn’t have been able to attend, let alone put myself out there as a co-host. Not too long ago, I would’ve politely declined an invitation to participate in such an event. I would’ve been busy that day, probably washing my beard. I would’ve made up any excuse to avoid participation.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I genuinely like people, well, most of them, but social situations tend to put me on edge. Let alone a social situation with strangers, and one that publically announces something that I’d struggled to come to terms with.

“Hi, my name’s Brett and I’m a toy photographer.”
“Hi Brett!”
“It’s been three hours since my last Lego photo.”

I’m beyond excited to be contributing to #stuckinplastic in my own way. I was apprehensive when first invited by Shelly. I wasn’t sure my voice, my unique take on the whole toy thing, would be one that would connect with the SiP members, let alone resonate with its audience. However, forcing myself to write, has also forced me to, not only appreciate that I’m a part of this toy community, but also want to actively participate within it, hence, my involvement in the Melbourne #brickstameet.

I’m a street walking cheetah
With a heart full of napalm
The Stooges – Search And Destroy

So now I can comfortably apply the same level of commitment I apply to SiP, to all things Lego that are happening in my local Lego community.

Oh! There’s also the exhibition with its looming deadlines, and the current quandary it’s put me in. “Should photographs dictate the size of prints or the size of prints control the photograph’s content”? And, there was the invitation to submit a photo for possible inclusion in a magazine. This previously terrifying offer was met with a resounding “I’m a toy photographer” yes! Oh, and an offer to co-write a piece for a magazine, which throws up the interesting challenge of collaborating in words as opposed to images.

And yet, despite all these goings on, or perhaps because of them, I’m sat at my keyboard labouring over what on earth I could possibly write for the next #stuckinplastic post that might be of interest.

Hang on! Did I just manage to do it?

Bithness as usual

Bithness as usual